


Roses Have Thorns

by sweatybitch



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Crimes & Criminals, F/M, Spencer Reid x Unsub, Unsub | Unknown Subject
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23828995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweatybitch/pseuds/sweatybitch
Summary: Written by myself and abi (@angeIreid)
Relationships: Spencer Reid & Original Female Character(s), Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s), Spencer Reid/Unsub (Criminal Minds)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Roses Have Thorns

**Author's Note:**

> Written by myself and abi (@angeIreid)

Dr Spencer Reid was sat in his usual seat on the jet, but he was keeping his distance from the rest of the Quantico BAU team. Something about this case got to his head and he really didn’t know what it was. They’d been on this case for a month or so now, and there were still no developments. Their profile suggested that the unsub was a woman, probably in her 20s. She always killed men who were found to be having an affair, and she always left their wedding ring by their dead body like she had with this new victim. They figured she was rather intelligent, she’d been doing this for months without getting caught, even when she left messages to the BAU. She’d clearly stated she knew each member of the team and plenty about their personal lives. They knew a small amount about her. They’d seen her face, but never been able to identify her. However, from their profile, they’d managed to gather that she was highly intelligent, as well as extremely arrogant. 

Spencer was reading through the case files. His eyes skimmed across each page at a swift pace. He took in every word, every photo, every detail. There was a photo of the unsub herself in there, of course, and it really gained Reid’s attention. As a matter of fact, he found himself staring at it for quite a long time, mesmerised by her.

“What are you thinking about, pretty boy?” Derek Morgan’s raspy voice interrupted Spencer’s thoughts. With that, the younger male instantly erupted into an incessant ramble of facts and statistics, after clearing his throat loudly.

“You know, when you ask somebody what they’re thinking they’re actually 90 percent more likely t-“

“Reid.” Morgan cut him off. “I asked what you’re thinking about and somehow I doubt it’s statistics right now.”

Anxiously, Reid chewed the skin on his lower lip, trying to come up with a believable lie. “Just a book I was reading. Hey! Did you know this book ‘Republic’ by Plato is actually-“ 

Once again, Reid was cut off by Morgan. “Okay kid, I regret coming over here now. Have fun with your books.” He got up and walked over to a separate area of the jet. 

The wheels of the plane began to glide against the concrete ground. They had arrived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana - the location of the lastest murder. Whilst the rest of the team made their way to the police station, Spencer made his way to the library, one of the only places he knew he could think straight. Once he got there, he sat on a cosy-looking armchair tucked away by a small circular stained glass window. He had laid down the case files on the hard, dusty table and opened them up. He really needed to think about this case, but all he could focus on was the photo of the unsub. He didn’t even know her name, but his heart melted with the sight of her.

The way her somber, black hair surrounded her face in slight curls. The paleness of her face and the way she glistened made her look like the moon in the night sky. The way her vivid turquoise eyes gleamed in the light source in the photograph. The way her cheeks were the slightest bit red, a hint of happiness and purity. The way her rosey, chapped lips curled into a small smile at the edges. The way her dark freckles were scattered across her face like twinkling stars. The tattoo of a dying rose on the girls neck really stood out to him, so he got out of his head for a moment and sent a text to Penelope Garcia - ‘She possibly has the forename or middle name Rose’ - before he got back to looking over the crime scenes.

That’s when it all clicked into place in his mind, the pieces of the puzzle finally fitting together. At the first crime scene, she had left behind a dead rose, likely confirming his suspicions. He also recognised that this rose wasn’t just a clue, it was a cry for help. This girl definitely had rose in her name. That’s when he got a text from Garcia with a possible suspect - Jade Rose Holt. Conversely, he did realise that the dying rose was a metaphor from their unsub. She was implying that she was a withering rose, slowly falling apart. She didn’t want to do what she was doing but she either had a reason to or she couldn’t help it. Either way, Spencer knew it wasn’t her intention to cause all this fuss. He assumed she was just trying to get revenge for someone. Looking over the other crime scenes, he spotted so many other clues, magnets, postcards. He marked all the clues and their corresponding locations onto a map he had in his satchel. Surveying his map, which was now covered in red crosses, he realised that the clues all surrounded one specific location - an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. That’s when he made a terrible mistake. His decision to go to the warehouse alone, rather than with his team.

Spencer had made his way to the warehouse where he knew he would find her. He hadn’t sent the team the address until he got outside, so he knew he would have time alone with the girl. Not that he had any reason to at all, he wanted to protect her. Worryingly, he couldn’t figure out exactly why. He just wanted her to give it up. He knew, deep down, this wasn’t who she was underneath the persona she projected to the world. Once he had arrived at the warehouse, he pulled his gun from its holster and held it out in front of himself before making his way into the warehouse. Routinely, he cleared a few rooms before he finally found her. Of course, she had a victim with her. Tied to a chair with a gun to his head and his wedding ring laid on the table beside him. Spencer’s eyes followed the gun, up the gun holders hand, along her arm and finally to her face. His breath hitched at the sight and he cleared his throat. He could feel his heart pounding out of his chest. “Jade Rose Holt, put down the gun.” He was serious for a second, but then he spoke again, his tone softer now. “Please.” The look in his eyes changed from serious to sad, almost desperate.


End file.
